Grey Palitoy X-Wing fighter help

SOJ

Sith Lord
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Feb 15, 2014
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I bought a job lot of items recently in a local find. The main reason for the purchase was the ESB X-Wing box. There was an an x-wing in the lot that was pretty beat up but as I already had one my intention was just to fill the box with that.

When I collected the lot I realise that the x-wing was the grey version. For the longest time I thought this verison was a modern vehicle as I only ever owned the White version and only recently discovered the grey one was in fact vintage.

My other perhaps misapprehension was that the grey version was released much later in the line and not in the UK however on closer inspection of the PALITOY box the pictured vehicle it did appear to be the grey version printed on it.

Also the actual x-wing itself has been manufactured without the electronics but blue button on top to activiated the sounds is in place, suggesting to me this a Palitoy version.

As this was also from a childhood collection it would also suggest this X-Wing came from this box.

Got some question hopefully someone can help answer:
Are my assumptions correct?
Was the grey version release widely in the UK? Been looking one eBay and can't see that many examples of them.
Was it released in the Empire box?
Was the White verison release in the same box?

image.jpg1_zpsg1you1pc.jpg
 

Bonsai_Tree_Ent

Jedi Master
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Yes, the grey 'battle damaged' X-Wing without electronics is indeed correct for this box and is a rarer find than the regular white version. Here's the complete contents:

Picture1119.jpg

Picture1413.jpg

Picture1219.jpg
 

spoons

Grand Master
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Oct 22, 2006
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Great find - and pretty much yes to all your answers

Both versions were released in that box, and it does have a dummy battery compartment but no light - the way to spot the difference from a photo. The other main difference form the white one is the tinted cockpit

AJ linked to a good box guide on TIG - I'll see if I can find it

The grey is rarer than the White, a loose demands a £10-£20 premium but they are still easyish to find. There was a loose one at the last Donny toy fair for £20
 

spoons

Grand Master
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here's the TIG ref guide

http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t4137-potb-project-outside-the-box-your-one-stop-place-for-star-wars-vehicles-playsets-rigs-creatures-etc#X-Wing
 

x-pack

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That's good to know. Have one in the attic somewhere with no guns/cockpit. I may be wrong but I think the other difference is the blue button on the back. Can't remember what it's for
 

spoons

Grand Master
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x-pack said:
That's good to know. Have one in the attic somewhere with no guns/cockpit. I may be wrong but I think the other difference is the blue button on the back. Can't remember what it's for

It's just a hang over from the Kenner moulds - doesn't do anything :)
 

spoons

Grand Master
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x-pack said:
Really? Doesn't make a noise or anything? :?

None of the palitoy x wings have electrics so it can't make a noise - the battery compartment in front of the button is dummy too. It was originally stuck down but can be opened pretty easily

They didn't bother with the dummy bits for the white x wing so maybe they intended on putting electrics in the grey one at some point, but didn't get round to it
 

Bonsai_Tree_Ent

Jedi Master
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I've really no idea why the 'Paligrey' came to market, as it is a strange hybrid of the Palitoy and the Kenner versions. My only thought is that possibly someone felt that simply adding a 'battle damage' sticker sheet to the existing toy wouldn't be exciting or different enough to sell, so the grey plastic, with tinted canopy and black engines was considered a better option? Maybe it was some kind of overstock batch from the US, although it doesn't feature the light at the end of the nose so it would seem to be from a different mold. Whilst not 'rare', certainly it is found in far fewer numbers than the regular white 'battle damage' X-Wing so obviously didn't last too long.

I personally think it's a bit of a curio and a really cool item.
 

SAVORY100

Sith Lord
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Sadly, I had a grey and sold it long ago to fund another purchase. Actually never seen one first hand since. For the curio element I'd love to own one again.
 

MotoXWing287

Youngling
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Aug 13, 2019
Messages
7
The US version of grey based on the Palitoy version is grey and has fully functional electronics. I only know because I have one I just bought a couple weeks ago. This he one in this photo in the condition I found it in must be extremely rare. Its stamped 1978 but I'm sure was a 1981 release.
9CF936E6-969D-4669-9C59-8BB7AA7B5F75.jpeg
1A65DC68-6ABE-444E-8BDF-27B743E62AE5.jpeg
6696E2F0-A831-49BC-855D-A0564D269E46.jpeg
 

spoons

Grand Master
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As I said in the other thread, all vintage X Wings are 1978 copyright, whatever the year they were made.

And Palitoy based their X Wing off the US grey one rather than the other way around

A nice ship but not rare (in the US)
 

MotoXWing287

Youngling
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Messages
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Thanks for clarifying. I'm newly interested in finding toys from my childhood.

I just learned to look for original action figure markings on the legs last night. :D
 

spoons

Grand Master
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No problem, good luck hunting down the figures. You have a great X Wing whatever the date
 

Pomse2001

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Also the glass on cockpit on the grey one is different, it is much darker than on the white x-wing :D

You can also see some good pictures of the x-wing in toy of the week, see the link https://starwarsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38078
 
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